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March Madness 2025: NCAA Tournament First Round schedule, time, how to watch

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Logo for NCAA March Madness.
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Today is a holiday for many sports fans. The two days of March Madness are arguably the best time on the sports calendar. From lunch to dinner, it’s nonstop basketball action. 16 matchups will be played on Thursday and Friday, totaling 32 games. Thanks to the partnership between CBS Sports and TNT Sports, every game will be available to watch on television.

With 16 games each day, it can be hard to keep up. Thankfully, we created this guide that features the entire first-round schedule with times, channels, and live streams. Enjoy the madness!

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March Madness 2025: NCAA Tournament First Round schedule,

THE BRACKET 🙌#MarchMadness pic.twitter.com/fo6lA8hJ7g

— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) March 16, 2025

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No. 8 Louisville vs. 9 Creighton start time, channel, and live stream

No. 4 Purdue vs. No. 13 High Point start time, channel, and live stream

No. 3 Wisconsin vs. No. 14 Montana start time, channel, and live stream

No. 1 Houston vs. No. 16 SIU Edwardsville start time, channel, and live stream

  • Date: March 20
  • Time: 2 p.m. ET
  • Channel: TBS
  • Announcers: Spero Dedes, Jim Spanarkel, Jon Rothstein
  • Stream: , , March Madness Live

No. 1 Auburn vs. No. 16 Alabama State start time, channel, and live stream

No. 5 Clemson vs. No. 12 McNeese start time, channel, and live stream

No. 6 BYU vs. No. 11 VCU start time, channel, and live stream

No. 8 Gonzaga vs. No. 9 Georgia start time, channel, and live stream

No. 2 Tennessee vs. No. 15 Wofford start time, channel, and live stream

No. 7 Kansas vs. No. 10 Arkansas start time, channel, and live stream

No. 4 Texas A&M vs. No. 13 Yale start time, channel, and live stream

No. 6 Missouri vs. No. 11 Drake start time, channel, and live stream

No. 7 UCLA vs. No. 10 Utah State start time, channel, and live stream

No. 2 St. John’s vs. No. 15 Omaha start time, channel, and live stream

No. 5 Michigan vs. No. 12 UC San Diego start time, channel, and live stream

No. 3 Texas Tech vs. No. 14 UNC Wilmington start time, channel, and live stream

  • Date: March 20
  • Time: 10:10 p.m. ET
  • Channel: truTV
  • Announcers: Spero Dedes, Jim Spanarkel, Jon Rothstein
  • Stream: , , March Madness Live

No. 8 Mississippi State vs. 9 Baylor start time, channel, and live stream

No. 2 Alabama vs. No. 15 Robert Morris start time, channel, and live stream

No. 3 Iowa State vs. No. 14 Lipscomb start time, channel, and live stream

No. 5 Memphis vs. No. 12 Colorado State start time, channel, and live stream

  • Date: March 20
  • Time: 2 p.m. ET
  • Channel: TBS
  • Announcers: Spero Dedes, Jim Spanarkel, Jon Rothstein
  • Stream: , , March Madness Live

No. 1 Duke vs. No. 16 Mount St. Mary’s start time, channel, and live stream

No. 7 St. Mary’s vs. No. 10 Vanderbilt start time, channel, and live stream

No. 6 Ole Miss vs. No. 11 North Carolina start time, channel, and live stream

No. 4 Maryland vs. No. 13 Grand Canyon start time, channel, and live stream

No. 1 Florida vs. No. 16 Norfolk State start time, channel, and live stream

No. 7 Kentucky vs. No. 14 Troy start time, channel, and live stream

No. 7 Marquette vs. No. 10 New Mexico start time, channel, and live stream

No. 6 Arizona vs. No. 13 Akron start time, channel, and live stream

No. 7 UConn vs. No. 9 Oklahoma start time, channel, and live stream

No.6 Illinois vs. No. 11 Xavier start time, channel, and live stream

No. 2 Michigan State vs. No. 15 Bryant start time, channel, and live stream

No. 5 Oregon vs. No. 12 Liberty start time, channel, and live stream

  • Date: March 21
  • Time: 10:10 p.m. ET
  • Channel: truTV
  • Announcers: Spero Dedes, Jim Spanarkel, Jon Rothstein
  • Stream: , , March Madness Live

Stream March Madness on Sling

Sling TV.
Phil Nickinson / Digital Trends

Stream the NCAA Tournament on . Only the games on TNT, TBS, and truTV are available with Sling. CBS games cannot be streamed with Sling. Still, Sling is an affordable option for those without cable. Sling’s paid plans: Orange at $46 per month, Blue at $51, and Orange + Blue for $66 per month. New customers will earn $10 off their purchase for the first month.

How to watch March Madness from abroad with a VPN

NordVPN company name and logo, blue mountain peaks against a white circle on a blue background.
NordVPN

If you’re out of the country during the NCAA Tournament, make sure to download NordVPN, one of the best VPNs on the market. NordVPN will add more security and protection to your connection. Plus, VPNs will work to combat broadcast restrictions in your area. If you’re unhappy with the product, request a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Editors’ Recommendations

Dan Girolamo
Dan Girolamo
Entertainment Writer
Dan is a passionate and multitalented content creator with experience in pop culture, entertainment, and sports. Throughout…
Mississippi State vs. Alabama: How to watch, results, and highlights
Fans watch the basketball game inside Coleman Coliseum.

The Battle for Highway 82 hits the hardwood as the Mississippi State Bulldogs (19-8) head to Tuscaloosa to face the Alabama Crimson Tide (22-5). The SEC continues to be a gauntlet this season. The Bulldogs are a top-25 basketball team, yet they can't even crack the top-7 within their conference. The Tide are tied for second in the SEC with Florida, as top-ranked Auburn remains in first place.
After two ranked wins against Ole Miss and Texas A&M, the Bulldogs were upset by the Oklahoma Sooners on Saturday. While the loss won't derail their tournament chances, it will impact their seeding. Meanwhile, the Crimson Tide snapped their two-game losing streak with an impressive 96-83 victory over Kentucky. Good luck beating Alabama when they make over 10 3-pointers per game.

With just under two weeks remaining in the regular season, many teams will be jockeying for positions before the conference tournaments. Find out how to watch the game between the Bulldogs and Crimson Tide. Read our NCAA men's basketball March to the Madness guide for more coverage.
Results and highlights: Alabama 111 - Mississippi State 73
Highlights: Alabama basketball destroys Mississippi State
How to watch Mississippi State vs. Alabama
https://twitter.com/AlabamaMBB/status/1893728435484164527

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Houston vs. Texas Tech: How to watch, results, and highlights
Kelvin Sampson of Houston stands and stares on the sidelines.

It's "Big Monday" in college basketball, and with a name like that, there must be a gigantic game. Luckily, the phrase holds true, as the Houston Cougars (23-4) travel to Lubbock to face the Texas Tech Red Raiders (21-6). Both teams are peaking at the right time and enter the game ranked inside the top 10. Texas Tech is one of the few teams to beat Houston, as the Red Raiders pulled off a one-point overtime victory over the Cougars on February 1.
Since the Texas Tech loss, Houston has won six consecutive games, including Saturday's 68-69 win over Iowa State. The Cougars are relentless on the defensive end and will give teams trouble in March. Speaking of the Red Raiders, Grant McCasland will have Texas Tech in the NCAA Tournament for the second consecutive season.
The winner of this game will gain a competitive advantage heading into the Big 12 Tournament, where they could face off in the championship. Find out how to watch the game between the Cougars and Red Raiders. Also, make sure to read our NCAA men's basketball March to the Madness guide for more coverage.

Results and highlights: Houston 69 - Texas Tech 61
Houston Cougars vs. Texas Tech Red Raiders | Full Game Highlights | ESPN College Basketball
How to watch Houston vs. Texas Tech
https://twitter.com/UHCougarMBK/status/1893411533150933368

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LSU vs. Kentucky: How to watch, results, and highlights
Basketball players on the court at Memorial Coliseum.

It's a Sunday showcase in women's college basketball. Flau'jae Johnson and the No. 7 LSU Tigers (26-2) take on Georgia Amoore and the No. 14 Kentucky Wildcats (21-4). LSU and Kentucky are ranked third and fourth in the SEC. This will be the only matchup in the regular season between the two squads.
Last weekend, LSU stumbled and lost to Texas 65-58. It was the Tigers' first loss since January 24. Like every Kim Mulkey team, LSU bounced back and defeated Georgia 79-63 earlier this week. Similar to LSU, Kentucky also lost to Texas last week. The Wildcats enter Sunday's game on a two-game winning streak, with their most recent victory coming on Thursday against Missouri.
LSU and Kentucky will make the NCAA Tournament. Both teams still have an outside chance of securing a No. 1 seed. However, that dream will end with a loss on Sunday. Find out how to watch the game between LSU and Kentucky, including the start time, channel, and streaming options. Our NCAA women's basketball March to the Madness is your go-to guide for the rest of the season.

Results and highlights: LSU 65 - Kentucky 58
LSU Tigers vs. Kentucky Wildcats | Full Game Highlights | ESPN College Basketball
How to watch LSU vs. Kentucky
https://twitter.com/LSUwbkb/status/1892998971318276332

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